Novopskov Pocket

The Novopskov Pocket was a Soviet encirclement of Axis forces in eastern Ukraine that occurred in late February 1943. The failure of the German Pakrowskoje Offensive allowed for the Soviets to launch a major counterattack against the Axis forces, and the remaining Axis forces from the offensive were surrounded in what is now Novopskov Raion, Ukraine. The Soviets subjected the pocket to several attacks, and the Axis forces lost up to 96,000 troops (likely fewer than 96,000, as the Axis divisions were mostly undermanned and missing replacements).